Capsule for containing a concentrated product to be used diluted in a solution and bottle for containing said solution provided with this capsule

ABSTRACT

A capsule for containing a concentrated product to use diluted in a solution contained inside a bottle. This capsule is suitable to be secured to the body of said bottle and is also provided with an undercap ( 10 ) suitable to cooperate with a corresponding wall ( 6 ) of said capsule ( 1 ), so as to form a chamber ( 8 ) for containing said concentrated product. 
     With respect to prior art bottles, the bottle according to the invention allows the detergent, disinfectant or other solution to be prepared directly at the time of use, thereby preventing degradation thereof during the storage period.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a capsule for containing a concentrated product to be used diluted. The invention also relates to a bottle for containing said diluted product, provided with said capsule.

The field of the invention is that of bottles, made of plastic material, glass or the like, used to store and to dispense liquid products in solution, normally aqueous, such as detergent, disinfectant and similar solutions.

PRIOR ART

The products to which the invention in particular refers are those composed of solutions, normally in water, of a concentrate, such as a detergent or a disinfectant, conventionally prepared directly in the factory and marketed in their form for final use.

The main drawback of this type of arrangement is represented by the fact that the product, packaged already diluted or in solution, tends to degrade due to time, temperature, light and the like. A further source of degradation of the active ingredient in solution is represented by the plastic material, normally used to manufacture bottles of the type in question.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a capsule suitable to be secured to the body of a bottle and to contain the concentrated product (detergent, disinfectant or the like) and to release it, inside this bottle, to allow it to be dissolved or diluted directly at the time of its use in solution.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bottle for liquid detergents, disinfectants and the like which, with the aid of said capsule, allows preparation of the solution of the concentrate initially contained in the capsule at the time of use and dispensing of said solution, once it has been prepared inside this bottle.

These and other objects are achieved with the capsule and the bottle of claims 1 and 9 respectively. Preferred methods of producing the invention are described in the remaining claims.

With respect to prior art bottles, those according to the invention allow the detergent, disinfectant or other solution to be prepared directly at the time of use, thereby preventing degradation thereof during the period for which it is stored.

Moreover, the use of the auxiliary containment capsule for the concentrated product allows the bottle to be recharged several times, without requiring to replace the bottle every time, with obvious positive effects on the cost of the finished product and, above all, respect for the environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, advantages and characteristics are apparent from the description below of a preferred method of producing the capsule and the bottle according to the present invention, shown, by way of non-limiting example, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the capsule of the invention, respectively in a side and plan view;

FIG. 3 shows the capsule of FIG. 1 in a longitudinal section;

FIG. 4 shows the detail of coupling of the undercap to the body of the capsule of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows the capsule of FIG. 3 in an exploded view;

FIG. 6 shows the bottle of the invention provided with the capsule of the preceding figures;

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of the detail of coupling of the capsule of FIG. 3 to the bottle of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 shows the phase of opening of the capsule on the bottle of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The capsule of the invention is indicated as a whole with 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is composed of a body 2 substantially cylindrical in shape, provided with an external gripping tab 3, with an internal thread 4 (FIG. 5), and with coaxial circular walls, respectively 5 and 6, integral with the upper lid of the capsule 1 (FIG. 3). Preferably, the height of the innermost circular wall 5 of the body of the capsule 1 is lower than the height of the outermost wall 6.

The capsule 1 is also provided with an undercap 10, of the type with bottom 11 provided with frangible lines 12, which defines, together with said circular wall 6, a chamber 8 for containing the product (detergent, disinfectant or the like) in concentrated state, a tablet 9 in the example.

The capsule 1 is also provided with a safety strip 13, integrated with a pull tab 14 functioning as childproof cap (FIG. 5).

The concentrated active ingredient (in the example a tablet 9, but also a powder or a liquid) is then collected inside the chamber 8 of the capsule 1 and enclosed therein by means of the undercap 10, made integral with the body 2 of this capsule 1 at the level of a rib or lugs 15, disposed projecting toward the inside of the circular wall 16 of the undercap 10 and suitable to engage inside a corresponding race or groove 17, provided on the outer wall of said circular wall 6 of larger dimensions (FIG. 4).

The capsule 1 described herein is suitable to engage on the threaded mouth 18 of the bottle 19 of FIGS. 6 and 7.

As better shown in FIG. 6, said bottle 19, made of plastic material, glass or the like has, next to a conventional spray dispenser 20, also the capsule 1 described above, screwed onto the mouth 18 at the thread 4 of this capsule 1, until with the safety strip 13 thereof interferes with the corresponding wall of the bottle 19. Advantageously, said wall of the bottle 19 that receives the strip 13 of the capsule 1 has protrusions 21 acting as safety couplings that cooperate with corresponding protrusions 22 provided on the inner surface of this strip 13 (FIGS. 5 and 7).

In this first position of the tablet 9 of concentrated product, it is enclosed inside the capsule 1, the circular wall 6 thereof being positioned raised above the bottom 11 of the undercap 10 and the safety strip 13 preventing this capsule from being fully screwed down on the mouth 18 of the bottle.

In use, i.e. when preparing the detergent solution, the desired quantity of solvent 23 (usually water) is added to the bottle 19, the safety strip 13 is then removed and finally the capsule 1 is screwed down on the mouth 18, until said wall 6 of this capsule 1 interferes with the bottom 11 of the undercap 10. In this way a thrusting action is produced, causing breakage or partial detachment of said bottom 11, along the frangible lines 12, with consequent release of the tablet 9, which is now free to fall into the water 23, thus causing immediate formation of the fresh solution ready for use.

Thus, the user can be provided with several capsules 1 according to the number of changes or uses he or she requires, while keeping the bottle 19, to which the new capsules can be applied each time. The solution thus prepared can therefore be applied in the usual way by means of the spray dispensed by the dispenser 20.

The invention, as described and illustrated above, can be modified to produce variants which nonetheless fall within the scope of the claims below. Therefore, by way of example, if the active ingredient is in powder or liquid form, the smaller circular wall 5 can be omitted from the structure of the capsule 1. The coupling system formed by the lugs 15 and by the respective groove 17 can also be omitted. 

1. Capsule for containing a concentrated product to be used diluted in a solution contained inside a bottle, characterized in that it is provided with means suitable to secure said capsule to the body of said bottle, said capsule also being provided with means to contain said concentrated product inside said capsule and to release it into said bottle at the time of use.
 2. Capsule as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said containing and release means are suitable to operate between a containment position of the concentrated product, whereby the capsule (1) is maintained closed and is secured to the body of the bottle (19), and a release position of said product, whereby the capsule (1) is open, to allow said product to fall into said bottle (19).
 3. Capsule as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said containing means are composed of an undercap (10) suitable to cooperate with a corresponding wall (6) of said capsule (1), so as to form a chamber (8) to contain said concentrated product.
 4. Capsule as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said undercap (10) is provided with a wall (16), equipped with a rib (15) to engage with a corresponding groove (17) present on said wall (6) of the capsule (1).
 5. Capsule as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said undercap (10) is provided with a bottom (11) openable along frangible lines (12).
 6. Capsule as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that it is formed by a body (2) equipped with an internal thread (4) and provided with a removable safety strip (13).
 7. Capsule as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said body (2) is also provided with an external grip tab (3).
 8. Capsule as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said concentrated product is in solid or liquid form.
 9. Bottle for preparing and containing a detergent, disinfectant or similar solution, prepared from a concentrated product, characterized in that it is provided with the capsule as claimed in claim
 1. 10. Bottle as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a dispenser (20) and a threaded mouth (18) for screw engagement of said capsule (1).
 11. Bottle as claimed in claim 9 or 10, characterized in that it is provided, in the section of said capsule (1) engaging with said mouth (18), with protrusions (21) suitable to cooperate with corresponding protrusions (22) of said strip (13) of said capsule (1).
 12. Bottle as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said capsule (1) is secured to the mouth (18) so as to operate between the following positions: a first position, or containment position of the concentrated product inside the capsule (1), whereby the latter is closed and is provided with said safety strip (13), said circular wall (6) being positioned raised above the bottom (11) of the undercap (10); and a second position, or release position of the concentrated product into the bottle (19), whereby said capsule (1) is devoid of the safety strip (13) and is fully screwed down on said mouth (18), so as to cause opening of the bottom (11) of the undercap (10) by interference thereof with said circular wall (6) of said capsule (1), in this open position of the capsule (1) said concentrated product being released to fall into the bottle (19), suitably filled with a solvent for said product. 